You Can Do It If You Really Try
by instrument trio
Summary: Being a ninja is no walk in the park, everyone knows that. But when Hofuku Kaji is assigned to a three man team, she can't help but feel put down. Could it be that there is more in store for her than meets the eye?
1. Chapter 1

"Where is he?!"

A blonde haired boy dressed in an orange and navy blue wind-suit was pacing in the room.

I fiddled with the teal streak of hair that hung in my face. Iruka was wrong to assign me with this team, if they could even be called that.

I mean, how weird would we be?

The stoic idiot, the fan girl of the idiot, Mr. Ninetails who acts through sugar-high spasms, and me, the freak who could care less if she was about to meet her new sensei.

"This'll teach 'im! Making us wait..." The blonde had wedged a chalkboard eraser in the door.

"Naruto! You're gonna get us in trouble!" said a pink haired girl. Ugh... pink hair? I wanna vomit just lookin' at it!

Just then, a tall man with funny shaped gray hair opened the door and the chalked up eraser fell on his head. The Naruto boy laughed vigorously on the floor. Pinky asked if sensei was alright and muttered something about Naruto being an idiot.

I fingered the chain that replaced my belt... didn't that usually hold my three katanas??? I miss it

_I have to go buy a new one later today._

We followed the gray haired man up to the roof.

"To get to know each other, we'll obviously need to do some introductions. I suppose I'll go first...

"My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have some likes, my dislikes include other things. You don't need to know my dream, and as for hobbies... I have a lot of hobbies."

I grinned slightly. Half assed it, eh? Well done Kakashi-Sensei.

Naruto went next. He likes ramen obviously. I think we could get along.

"My dream is to become Hokage! Then people will look up to me and start respecting me!"

Hmm... maybe... just maybe.

Pinky-or should I say Sakura- went after Naruto, all she really did was squeal, giggle, and look at the idiot.

Uchiha Sasuke was his name. Such an idiot... he half assed it too.

Sasuke finished, and everyone looked at me expectantly. Oh, right. I'm part of the squad too. Duh.

"My name is Hofuku Kaji. I like ramen, pocky... actually I like most food..., books, music, sleep, and my laptop. I hate fangirls like her," I pointed at Sakura "and stuck up brats who think they're all that like chicken butt, there. I also despise pink, peppyness, most vegetables, and anybody who can't think for themselves. My hobbies include annoying people I don't like, reading, drawing, and creating new jutsus or techniques with my swords.

"My dream..." I hesitated. I had never told anyone my dream except for my closest friends. I let out a breath. "To be... the most powerful swordsman in the world... and to be a well established artist. These are my dreams... no, more goals... and I will achieve them!"

Naruto high-fived me, and Kakashi looked amused. Was it because I had just openly dissed his two star pupels? Sakura just glared at me.

"How _dare_ you talk about Sasuke like that?!"

"Easy," I shrugged "he's a chicken butt, he's in my way, and I don't like unnecesary attachments."

Kakashi chuckled as our quarrel raged.

"YOU WANNA TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?!"

"We _are_ outside, stupid. Ya know, for the brightest kunoichi of Konoha, your pretty dumb."

I suppose you can't call it a quarrel, though. Sakura's the only one fighting, really.

"Well, at least I don't like dog-boy!"

Now you've got my attention. "And those friends of yours are freaks too!"

I felt it, the fury coursing through me. I knew my eyes had turned to furious gold slits. Why? I knew Sakura was just being stupid, but for some reason I get real defensive about my friends. I felt Hot sparks crackling threateningly from my fingertips.

"Don't _ever_ talk about them that way..." I said with a menacing glare.

"Settle down... the both of you..." Kakashi had a defiant look in his eye.

My body - previously hot with anger and irritation - immediatly cooled down. I was at least somewhat calm, though my eyes still showed the piercing gold. "Now, if you all are ready to listen" Kakashi continued impatiently "We will meet at the training grounds at 7:00 tomorrow morning for a survival exercise."

"But Sensei!" It was Sakura again... Billboard Brow... that there forhead of hers is unused advertising space. "We've done hundreds of survival exercises at the acadamey! Why do we have to do another-!!!" I had slapped my hand over her mouth. My eyes had changed back to the sad, blue-gray they usually were.

"Shut up," My heart was racing. Did nobody else see this? "Can't you see? It's gonna be more like a mission than a survival exercise!"

This was gonna be fun!

"I caution you, don't eat breakfast in the morning. You might throw up." Kakashi said before leaving.

I stopped dead at his words.

No breakfast? What was he nuts? I would rather up-chuck my food (-pff... like I would do that anyway-) than go without it!

My stomach growled.

_Well, maybe i'll just have double portions tonight..._

**and so ends chapter one... i hope it wasn't too torcherous for you to read.**

**compared to ashi and aki i'm not the best writer in the world... -.-U**

**for now,**

**Kaji**


	2. Chapter 2

I arrived at the training grounds the next morning. I looked at my watch, 6:45.

_I'm rather early._

"Well… might as well kill time by training."

I set my things aside. What to practice? Ninjutsu? Nah, that's my strong suit. Even my genjutsu is better that my taijutsu… so I guess that clarifies things.

I stretched quick, then started my usual warm up: 15 squats, 20 push ups, and 3 laps around the clearing. Then I wondered… how exactly was I _going_ to train?

A set of bushes rustled slightly

"I know you're there Chicken Butt… so come out and benefit my training!"

I watched the bushes move some more before the someone burst out laughing. I made a face that screamed "_oh my fucking god, I'm so dumb_" and sweatdropped.

"Sorry, Naru… I thought you were Chi- I mean…. Sasuke…" I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. Naruto walked- or rather swayed- out of his hiding place that was the bushes laughing hysterically.

"Why…" he giggled "why do you call him that?"

"Call who what? Oh, you mean Chi-… er…. Sasuke?"

Naruto gave a goofy grin and nodded.

"You mean, ugh… why doesn't anyone else ever see it? I mean, hellOOoo! Have you _seen_ the back of his _head_?!"

Mumbling under my breath, I pulled out two pictures. One was of the back of Sasuke's head, the other was of a chicken's –you guessed it- ass. "Observe and compare!"

He looked back and forth from each picture to the other. His face turned beet-red as he laughed like a maniac again. I gave a satisfied smile and put the pictures away.

"Anyways, ya wanna spar or something? I really need to work on my taijutsu."

He grinned semi-evily.

"Ok, but don't expect me to go easy on you, just cuz were teammates!"

"Now why would you do that?" I grinned back.

We both slid into a fighting stance. His nose twitched slightly.

_He's gonna sneeze!_

I took the opportunity and swung my arm out to punch him. He caught it, figures. I swung my leg out and kicked him in the side. He staggered a little bit before charging, I stood there till the last second the stepped to the side. He tried to redeem his balance, but tripped in the process. I pinned him down with my foot.

"Heeeeey!!! Leggo'a me! Get your foot off an' I'll show you how a _real_ ninja spars!"

I grinned.

"Are you for serious?" I laughed as I helped him up. He high-fived me, "how is it we didn't become friends at the Academy?" I asked. He brushed himself off, but didn't respond.

_Guess Naru's not in the mood for answering…_

I looked over to a bunch of trees where Sasuke was walking over like he always did, a way he and all his fangirls assumed to be "cool" but really just looks like he was hiding a caffeinated squirrel in his pants.

Lagging behind him was the empty billboard herself, Sakura, with a dazed look on her face.

_Pfff… probably dreaming about their nonexistent future together._

"Well, were all here, but how much you wanna bet that Kakashi's gonna be late." Said Chickenbutt.

"Quite on the contrary, Sasuke, you and Sakura are the ones that are late…" behind Sasuke stood Kakashi.

_Didn't Iruka-sensei say the jounin had a tendency to be late? Whatever, he's here now, that's all that matters…. I guess._

"Well, you're all here, so lets get started. As you know this is a survival exercise, but you could think of it as your first mission. The objective," Sensei paused as he fumbled in his pocket for a moment "will be to retrieve these bells from me. You all just made genin, and I'm a jounin so you probably have a better chance if you came at me like you were going to kill me." I stifled the hysterical laughter that welled up inside me. I must have let some of it get away, because he fixed me with a stern glare. I immediately shut up.

I instead preoccupied myself with studying the bells we were to snipe from Sensei. Pinky noticed the odd thing about them the same moment I did.

"But Sensei!" said Billboard was faster to ask questions than I was "there are only two bells! There are four of us!"

"That means that only two of us pass, doesn't it? Only you wouldn't send half of a possible team back to the ninja academy, so one of us would be…" I paused, letting a huff escape from my lungs. I knew what was happening. "Transferred." I finished the statement, fighting back the liquid gold I knew my eyes would turn if I showed my fury.

"Well done the two of you" Kakashi said in a rather bored tone. "You figured it out. The best three will pass and be trained by me or exchanged with Suna."

_Well isn't that all sunshine-daisies-butter mellow... but lets think this thru. Chickenbutt has a huge enough ego that he's gonna do this on his own. Sakura will think she's one step ahead of Sensei and use what she knows. No chance either of them will team up, so there's still a chance that I can say in Konoha. Naruto… well.. lets just face it… he doesn't stand a chance… maybe…_

I looked up to find Kakashi holding a kunai to the back of a stunned Naruto's neck.

_Nope. He's not gonna team up. He doesn't stand a chance._

"Now" the jounin spoke in an irritated fashion. "we will start the exam in 3-2-1!"

just as he spat the word from his mouth we all had bolted and hid. Well… all of us… except-

"I'm gonna take you on Sensei!!!"

I sighed as I moved quickly deeper into the forest part of the training grounds. The kid was hopeless… loveable… but hopeless.

I settled next to a large tree with a lot of brush surrounding it. I pricked my ears toward the direction I came. Straining my ears still, I managed to hear what I thought to be Kakashi yelling "a thousand years of pain!!!" followed by silence then a defiant yelp from Naru.

I shook my head. I didn't nor did I want to know what happened. From the sound of it though, I could catch a few Z's before I had to face Kakashi. I had yet to snatch one of those bells. In response to the deep thinking I was attempting, my eyes shut tight. I had only drifted of for a few minutes when my cell buzzed.

Who the hell was texting me?! I flipped it open to find that it was from my friend Ashimakase.

**::---hey. Im here. Where r u? Thought u needed help---::**

Oh… that's right… I had texted her earlier this morning cuz I had that hunch.

_Dejavoux all over again._

I quickly tapped out my whereabouts.

No sooner had I pressed the "send" button, my amiga was sitting next to me.

"Well, Monsieur General, what's the plan?" she said with a smug grin.

"Having you equipped with sharpies was the worst idea at a sleep over." I commented. She flashed that grin again.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You know you love me. So how can I help?"

"Your gonna be part of a dynamic duo that will steal a single jingle bell from a big white haired man."

"Aww, poor sandy clause won't know what hit him! Commence operation?" she gave me another wily grin.

"You got it. Operation Ho ho ho begins!"

**few, took long enough, but I finally got the second chapter typed up. **

**I have chapter three all written out and I'll get on digitizing it for you guys asap!!!**

**O.O;;**

**If any thing I suppose I owe you guys a preview huh?**

FINALLY! SOME ACTION! But how exactly does this operation pan out?? We'll find out soon enough. And what's this?? A glimpse into Kaji's past? In chapter 3—be prepared for humor, an ass kicking, and awesome powers!


	3. Chapter 3

Gah… I'm sorry everyone… I'm so awful at trying to update… DX

I'm so much better on deviant… umm oops? Any who, here's chapter three of You Can Do it if You Really Try….

Hmm.. I should shorten the title…

- - - - - - -

With that Ash made a hand sign.

"Transformation Jutsu!" with a puff of smoke I was staring at an average height, in shape looking, stormy-eyed, dishwater blond girl that had a tealish streak of hair that fell in her face.

I grinned.

"You always were good at copying jutsus, you catch onto things right away!"

"It's just because I'm a Nozomii," she shrugged "and by the way- can I ask you just how in the _heck_-" (Ash never actually swore if she could avoid it) "-you put up with this hair in your face?!" the Konoichi was blowing what was my hair out of her face.

"Hey, look anywhere in my family- we all have it. Speaking of 'it' I'm pretty sure my uncle's going for the 'cousin it' look. But before we can get too far into this conversation, I should probably change." With a small puff of smoke, I morphed into my other side.

~~(flashback)~~

"KAJI!"

"Yes, Sensei?"

Said brunette did not look at all pleased with her pupil. The 5 year old girl looked up at her sensei in the silence.

"Is Sensei upset at me? For taking what was supposed to be hers?" The brunette slapped the little girl- not a hard slap, just a "you-better-learn-some-respect" slap.

"Of course not, baka! How was it I could possibly be the next Hasechurokage incarnate?! It's something the chosen girl is born with- so how could it ever have been my place?!" though she said this- even the little girl could tell she was lying about how she felt. "Anyway-" she said with a huff "- that's not why you're here. Your academy sensei has notified me that you wouldn't demonstrate morphing for the other students… why not?" she looked stern.

"… they hate me…" the bleach blond and teal hair fell into her face as the 5year old bowed her head.

"What was that?! Speak up girl!!"

"The other kids hate me! They have me morph then hit me with rocks and twigs and call me a monster and say one day I'll become a demon and destroy the village!" The 5 year old was on the verge of tears, but did not let them past the boundary of her eyelids as her father taught her.

The brunette became furious at this- but not because the other children had hurt her pupil. "How can you even think that?! Don't listen to those morons! Have I taught you nothing of your history?!" Little Kaji sniveled as she looked her Sensei in the eye. The girl's eyes had flashed to a piercing, liquid amber. Unphased- the brunette continued "Recite the history of the Hofukus and Hasechurokage!" The little girl sighed and did as her sensei said.

"Back in the days the villages were just starting, no one had the title of '-kage' because it solely belonged to the great dragons of the East. As years went on – the humans gained power and grew in number and the dragons began to die off- giving stronger clans the chance to steal away the dragons' special powers. Examples of these families are the Uchihas and Hyuugas. Eventually there was only one dragon left, the great wind, Hasechurokage. Afraid she would be killed for her power- she changed into a woman and hid from humans in plain sight. Even she grew old though, and on the day she was to die- she ran into the forest. Losing her strength- she was unable to hold her human form and morphed back this is when the great Hofuku Tama found her. The Hofukus were not respected at the time and Tama- being strong of mind, not of body- figured a way to make the Hofuku name known. He made a pact with the dying dragon. Kage-sama would give Tama-sama her strength and powers- in return Kage-sama would be reborn in each generation through a Hofuku Konoichi. And so it was done.

"Now whenever Kage-sama is reborn she takes a different form of dragon- each fitting the konoichi's personality." The little girl finished and gave her mentor a look of disdain.

"What doesn't it state you will be?" the brunette said a little bit more patiently.

"A demon or monster." The little girl felt a little bit better.

"Damn right."

The little girl looked at the brunette.

"Thank you, Nee-san." The brunette flinched.

"Shut up… I'm no family of yours… not anymore." The brunette looked distant for a few moments. "Now, show me your morph."

That being said, Kaji did as she was told.

~~(end flashback)~~

"You know Ka-chan? I really like your dragon form. I know I've told you that every other time you do it, but still. It doesn't even look like a full dragon- more like a dog/dragon crossbreed- which is even cooler." Ash was petting the fur on my paw.

*crack!*

My ears pricked. Ash stood still and looked at me.

_He's cooomiiiing…._

Ash nodded and we dashed to opposite sides of the clearing.

Kakashi walked leisurely into the open space. – well it wasn't quite leisurely, more like a senses-strained-waaaaay-ahead-of-me sort of walk. (*ahem* anyways…)

He stepped on the spot we had been standing on only minutes ago- when Ash sprung out of the bushes with swords flying- the plan had been put into action.

Kakashi was obviously a more skilled fighter- but with me sending silent Jutsus in hiding- he didn't have a clue.

After Ash retreated a few steps, I saw an opening and flew at the bells while Ash laid a sound-wave jutsu on him. With a bell in my teeth I whipped around, picked up Ash, and ran to the main clearing.

I set her down when we get there and we both changed back. I held up the bell in front of me, and gave it a shake.

*kling-ring*

I laughed a little- and Ash did too.

"Man- He didn't see that coming!" Ash giggled

"Yeah! And on top of it- I'm not going to be transferred!"

"Transferred? Why?" she looked a scared and a little more than confused.

"We have a team of four- so someone's either going back to the Academy- or getting transferred to Suna."

"Really? But my teams four people and nobody got demoted or transferred or anything…"

"Really?" I sounded relieved.

"Yeah!" she nodded.

"But your team's full of losers that need everyone else to depend on. Also- Kakashi never said anything about working with someone else- especially from another team. Your getting sent away for sure, Hofuku."

- - - - - - -

**Whoo! Exhilarating wasn't it?! **

**No? yeah.. I pretty much guessed that… (I'm no Akiraka.. that's for sure!)**

**Sorry the update took so long… **

**If you would like to look at official Just Wanna Make You Smile art you could check out my deviantart account (( ****.**** ))**

**I assure you I update that more than I do this.. **

**Noooow time for a preview!!**

what's going on? Kakashi sensei, what are you talking about?!

Some one _is_ getting transferred, and it appears it didn't matter the outcome of the training exercise…

To know what's up- tune in for the next chapter of YCDIIYRT!!!

_yeah.. yeah I'm definitely shortening it… how about just You can do it?_

_Yeah.. I like that… YCDI… much better._


	4. Chapter 4

I know I haven't updated in forever… and this one is short… very short. I'm sorry- just bear with me will you?

* * *

Both Ashimakase and I looked up to see none other than Chicken-Ass-Head himself.

"Sensei shouldn't have _had_ to say it! Obviously we're a _team_, so we should work as a _team_. If a _loser_ could figure that out, you would _think_ that the Uchiha boy- such a non loser and the best in our class- would have figured it out as well… wouldn't you think Kase-chan?"

"I would think so- but I guess us two-bit village losers wouldn't understand such complications as these!" we gave each other fake pitying looks.

"But, alas, it would appear that we losers were the ones to get the bell." I shook the bell tauntingly. Uchiha's face hardened, as his mouth opened to retaliate, Naruto burst into the clearing.

"AWWW MAN! How'd you get a bell?! Hey wanna buddy up and say we got it together?" Naruto reached toward the bell as I pulled it away. He hesitated and then tried again, with the same result.

He looked as desperate as Sasuke did peeved. "C'mooooon! Please?" Naruto pleaded again.

"Look, Naruto, Ash and I worked together to get this bell. Maybe if you team up with Chi- er… Uchiha or Haruno you could still find Sensei and get a bell for yourselves."

"Man, I thought I could just ask and you would give it to me. Isn't that what you Shadow village-born nin do?"

"…Excuse me?" Ash asked with a serious oh-no-he-didn't attitude.

"That's it, stereotype. That's always the way to go! I mean really- we need to fit to our village image better Ash! I think I'll start right now- How 'bout it Naruto?! I'll give you something- A NICE BIG SCAR ON YOUR ASS!" my hand flew to one of the swords at my waist.

"Hey now- break it up. You could seriously draw some major blood, and that would end up on _my_ record."

I made a surprised squeal and whipped around to face the speaker- it was obviously Kakashi-Sensei. Sakura staggered into the clearing as I got a hold of myself.

"Sensei, what's going on? I didn't miss anything did I?" she said it a bit too coolly.

/hah.. I bet she fainted because she thought her Sasuke-kun was hurt…/

"You haven't missed anything Sakura. Now that you're here we can start- if Miss Nozomii would kindly leave…" Kakashi eye smiled at Ash.

"Oh… right… Team stuff! I got it! I'm gone!" Ash started walking away. As she walked past me she whispered "Good luck!" before she jumped away.

"Now then, out of the four of you only one figured out the way to get a bell and achieved the objective of this exercise." Before he could say anymore Sakura went off on a fangirlish tangent.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun! I knew you would do it!" as she went on stroking his enormous ego I took out the bell and shook it. Sakura flinched and slowly turned to see me with a somewhat disgusted face on and bell in hand.

"Kaji, don't pick fights." Kakashi said somewhat boredly. He fluidly made a hand sign and the bell I held disappeared in a puff of smoke. Uchiha and Sakura both tried to hide satisfied smirks as I realized what had happened.

"It was a fake!" I exclaimed with a loss of other words.

/I should have known! There's no way Ash and I could have taken the bell from a Jounin./

"Unfortunately you failed to realize in your haste how easily I gave up the bell. I have no choice but to declare you failure of the failures. Please report to the Academy mission hall. The Hokage is expecting you." Kakashi continued to address the other tree, but I didn't hear a word he said. My entire world was crashing in around me. It was rigged. They were going to send me to Suna anyway. My knees buckled underneath me. I had just gotten used to Konoha and already they were sending me away. I wasn't a native, and yet this felt like nothing more than treachery.

/Wait- treachery? No… the elders… they couldn't have-/

"Kaji! I told you to go to the mission hall!" Kakashi's voice broke through my thoughts. I looked at all the faces around me. Only one of the four looked concerned, although Naruto probably looked like that because Kakashi told him off… or something.

I slowly rose to my feet, gave everyone a piercing look and ran off to confirm what I had dreaded since Kaguri transferred me and Ash to Konoha.

* * *

Jeeze, I really am sorry I just got somebody's hopes up for a nice chapter to continue the story and crushed them within a matter of minutes… I'll try to write a longer chapter next time.

But just to kill you all inside….

_Next time…_

Kaji goes to the mission hall only to be greeted by the news she expected, but not from the people she thought. During her last days living as a resident of Konoha she's going to have to say her goodbyes… but who knew it was going to be so hard?


End file.
